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REGIONAL Australians are more concerned about environmental issues than their city cousins and more sophisticated in their doubting perceptions of state government integrity, a new survey appears to show.

The Galaxy Research survey, prepared for the Greens, showed a majority of all Australians is opposed to any plans to give away federal power to protect World Heritage sites, like Fraser Island, with 59% opposed, 19% in favour and 22% uncommitted.

Queensland Greens Senator Larissa Waters said this week this meant those opposed to the plan outnumbered those in favour three to one.

Interestingly, those living outside capital cities (64%) were more likely to oppose the move than capital city residents (56%).

That support was important backing for the voices this week of Mary Valley dam activists like Glenda Pickersgill and Steve Burgess, who were also concerned about handing states veto power over their own state-promoted major projects, including the failed Traveston Crossing dam proposal.

Other supporters included former Federal Court judge and ex-Australian Conservation Foundation president Murray Wilcox.

Mr Wilcox told ABC Radio that he supported cutting so-called "green tape," which he defined as duplication between states and the Commonwealth, "so the proponent has to do it twice, once for the state and once for the federal government.

"Nobody would support that duplication," he said.

"But in the name of cutting green tape, the Commonwealth is surrendering its decision-making powers.

"If this goes ahead it will wind the clock back more than 40 years of hard-fought progress," he said.

Mr Burgess said yesterday he had previously given evidence to the Hawke inquiry into the (federal) Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act.

He said he retained the view that assessment of major projects "by means of bilateral agreements with the relevant state government is a sensible procedure, which should lead to efficient use of resources in assessing projects where the state and federal governments have overlapping jurisdiction and a common interest in furthering the aims of the Act.

"However, in cases (like the dam) where the proponent has strong links to the state government (as in the case of a state-owned corporation), there is a clear conflict of interest in the state operating in the simultaneous roles of proponent and assessor".